Design of Bionic Prosthetic Fingers Using 3D Topology Optimization.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Robotics

Background:

• Compliant mechanisms mimic biological fingers for prosthetic applications.
• Designing these mechanisms is challenging due to limitations of traditional rigid-link theories.
• Monolithic structures offer flexible movement similar to human fingers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a 3D topology optimization design framework for synthesizing bionic compliant prosthetic fingers.
• To simplify the complex design process of prosthetic fingers.
• To enable rapid fabrication of optimized prosthetic fingers.

Main Methods:

• A 3D topology optimization framework implemented in MATLAB.
• Utilizing selective laser sintering (SLS) for rapid prototyping.
• Verification through Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation and payload testing.

Main Results:

• A design framework for bionic compliant prosthetic fingers was successfully developed.
• The realized prosthetic fingers demonstrated effective bending performance.
• FEM simulations and payload tests validated the design's functionality.

Conclusions:

• The proposed 3D topology optimization framework simplifies the design of compliant prosthetic fingers.
• The developed fingers show potential for integration into prosthetic hands for complex grasping.
• This approach facilitates the creation of advanced, bio-inspired prosthetic devices.